Method of supporting wrapped meat cuts



May 28, 1940.

s; E. GOTT METHOD OF SUPPORTING WRAPPED MEAT CUTS Fild Dec. 50, 1938 if; N EN 4 m Y GORDON E. 6071' jhfillz:

Patented May 28, 1940 OF SUPPORTING WRAPPED MEAT CUTS Gordon E. Gott, Cambridge, Mass assign: to Dewey and Almy Chemical Company, North Cambridge, Mass a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 30,1938, Serial No. 248,589

7 Claims, (Cl. 99-114) This invention relates to the method of handling large cuts of beef which are to be preserved and stored in moisture-proof and air-tight bags and is particularly directed to the handling of beef sides and quarters, although it may be used for the handling of carcasses of smaller animals.

According to methods which are already known, large beef cuts may be protected from all deleterious action during refrigeration or may be made readyfor quick freezing by enclosing the cut in a flexible and distensible bag, sealing the bag'hermetically, and exhausting the air in the intervening space between the bag and the carcass.

The best practice for the shipment of chilled beef is to hang each side or quarter individually on hooks suspended from trolleys or a rail so that all portions of the cut are freely exposed to the cold atmosphere. However, in attempts to follow this well established practice when Wrapped and vacuumized beef is to be handled,

' considerable difilculty has hitherto been excordance with this invention and suspended from perienced in supporting the beef cut properly and in sealing off the bag in an air-tight manner. The prior, practice has always contemplated the tying down of the neck of the bag against the shank of the suspending hook, and strains of handling have broken the seal.

The present invention has for its objects to provide a process by which cuts may be expeditiously handled, to allow the bags to be sealed ofi in a dependable manner, to prevent the hooks from tearing the bag, and to provide a method by which cuts may be handled on conventional hooks and on conventional trolley systems, both in the packing plant and in refrigerating cars "and ships without the need of any special apparatus. These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the specification and from the annexed drawing in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the unexpandedbag suitable for enclosing the beef quarter as modified in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 illustrates the beef quarter in perspec-, tive after being inserted in. the bag and shows section;

Figure 3 illustrates 'a later step in the process, and v .7

Figure 4.shows a beef quarter packaged in acthe conventional hook and trolley.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a finger or protuberance 4 as an integral part of the bag blunted (although a conventional pointed hook may be used if the end is provided with a prothe bag and the expansion container in vertical h 'venient. means. thrust through the nipple 20 which is formed on 2. Although other materials may be used for the I purpose, the most satisfactory material for forming the bag, so far-known to me, is the dried deposit of Hevea latex modified by the addition of approximately 8% of wax. For convenience in description and without restricting myself to any particular composition or material, I shall refer. to such bags as rubber bags. Also, according to known methods, the rubber bag, which initially possesses much smaller dimensions than those of, 1) a beef quarter, is snapped over the open end of a container 5 and air, which is trapped between the bag and the container is exhausted through a suitable vacuum connection. The bag then expands to the full size of the'casing 5 and. in 15 this expanded condition is amply large to enclose the quarter or side of beef.

The beef quarter, 8, is suspended from a conventional hook 8, which in turn is hung from a hoisting device 22,.which'may be -a block and tackle or a mechanical hoisting equipment. The hook is thrust through the leg in the conventional manner between the bone and the main tendon. The quarter is then lowered into the casing and the open end of the bag is released from the margin of the container 5. As the quarter is raised by the hoisting apparatus, the expanded bag isgrasped in such a manner that it rises with the beef quarter and almost com pletely enshrouds it. After the quarter has been raised to a convenient height, a second hole I2 is driven through the leg with a marlinespike or some similar instrument just behind the inferior tendon. A second hook it, which is preferably tective cap), is then pushed against the finger 4 turning it inside out so that it projects into the interior of the bagas shown in Figure2. The hook l4, now having its hook portion surrounded by the rubber of the finger 4, is thrust through the hole i2 and the hoisting of the quarter continued until the eye of the hook may be engaged with the hook member of the trolley l8. I'hen, the hoisting apparatus is slacked off and the weight of the quarterv is transferred to the The initial hoisting hook 8 is removedand the open mouth of the bag is pulled up and pver'the shank of the beef quarter, gathered together,

twisted, and tied oil by two spaced wire ties, as

illustrated at l6, Figure 4, or by'any other con- An evacuating nozzle is then the bag and the air between. the bag and the quarter is exhausted which causes the bag to collapse against the quarter and hug it tightly all over. The nipple 20 is then twisted and sealed o'fi by means of a crimped wireorc other tie.

Since, by this process, no seal is attempted against the shank hook, the package remains airtight and free from any troubles arising from leakage. Furthermore, since the hook portion is entirely surrounded by rubber, it is possible to remove the hooks from the quarter whenever desired and to rehang the quarter on hooks at some later time without danger of tearing the bag or admitting air between the bag and the meat.

I claim:

1. The process of enclosing heavy cuts of meat in flexible and impervious bags which comprises supporting the cut from above while drawing the bag over the cut, inserting a hook into a pocket in the bag, engaging the hook and pocket with the out, transferring the weight of the cut to the hook, removing the supporting means, and sealing the bag.

2. The process of enclosing a heavy cut of meat in a flexible and impervious bag and adapting the bagged cut to be handled on suspension conveyor systems, which comprises suspending the out while placing it inside the bag, engaging the cut with-a hook from outside the bag without puncturing the bag, transferring the weight of the cut to the hook, removing the suspending means and v hermetically sealing the bag.

3. The process of enclosing a heavy cut of meat in a flexible and impervious bag which comprises suspending the out while drawing the bag over the cut, engaging the cut with a hook from outside the bag without puncturing the bag, transferring the weightoi the cut to the hook, removing the suspending means and sealing the bag hermetically.

4. The process of enclosing heavy cuts of meat in flexible and impervious bags which comprises suspending the out while placing it inside the bag, inserting a hook into a pocket in the envelope, engaging the hook and pocket with the cut, transferring the weight of the cut to the hook, removing the suspending means and sealing the bag hermetically.

5. A flexible impervious bag, adapted to enclose a cut of meat, having a closed end and a tubular projection adapted and arranged to be inserted into the meat and to form an air-tight socket therein into which a suspending hook may be inserted. v

6. A cut of meat enclosed in a flexible air-tight bag having a reentrant portion of the bag inserted in the meat and forming an air-tight socket adapted and arranged to receive a suspending hook for supporting the cut.

7. The process of enclosing heavy cuts of meat in air-tight bags and of adapting the enclosed cut to be handled on suspension conveyor systems which includes providing a closed, tubular projection on the bag adjacent its open end, temporarily suspending the cut, inserting the cut in the bag, pushing the closed end of the projection through an aperture provided in the meat cut, thereby turning the projection inside out and forming an air-tight socket adapted to receive a hook, placing a hook within the socket, transferring the weight of the cut to the hook, removing the temporary suspension, gathering the open end of the bag to enshroud the cut, and sealing the bag hermetically.

' GORDON E. GOTT. 

